The European Skeptics Podcast - The ESP

Not even June and people are already dying from heatwave in Europe. Skepkon 2026 in Regensburg looks to have been a hit and speaking of conferences – don’t forget to plan your trip to ESC Liverpool in October! In TWISH we hear about the man behind the Watchmaker analogy and then it’s time for the news:NORWAY / SWEDEN: Assisted death pushed too farUK: Wellness coach dies of frog poisonINTERNATIONAL: Smart phones are promoting populismGERMANY: Historical cryptozoological find has been elegantly debunkedA bunch of AI LLMs mislead voters before the Scottish election this month, and for that they share the Award for being Really Wrong.Enjoy!https://theesp.eu/podcast_archive/theesp-ep-533.htmlSegments:0:00:27 Intro0:00:50 Greetings0:08:36 TWISH0:20:26 News0:39:06 Really Wrong0:43:13 Quote0:44:48 Outro0:46:11 Outtakes Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

With the return of a super-El Niño it may be a hot year and in TWISH we hear about James Lind‘s famous scurvy experiment from 1747. Then we have the news:INTERNATIONAL: Antidepressants in pregnancy do not raise children’s risk of autism or ADHDBELGIUM / DENMARK: Attempted control and recommendations regarding meat consumption spark disinformation campaignsINTERNATIONAL: Hantavirus myths and factsUK: Halley’s comet named after the wrong person?Swedish influencer Katrin Zytomierska claims her olive oil prevents cancer and for that she receives this week’s award for being Really Wrong.Enjoy!https://theesp.eu/podcast_archive/theesp-ep-532.htmlSegments:0:00:27 Intro0:00:51 Greetings0:07:00 TWISH0:19:26 News0:40:15 Really Wrong0:43:31 Quote0:48:09 Outro0:49:31 Outtakes Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The new Hungarian government are making all the right noises and we hope they will live up to it. Don’t forget to get your ESC Liverpool tickets, and in TWISH we here about Magnus Hirschfeld, a pioneer in fighting for what we today call LGBTQ rights. Then, we head for the news:NORWAY / EU: Warning to athletes: Do not buy dietary supplements online, even from within EuropeITALY: PM Georgia Meloni uses deepfake of herself to warn of misuse of AIINTERNATIONAL: AI fitness instructors selling unreal gainsUK: AI platforms pushing Reform?Endometriosis can be a debilitating condition but what the Bucharest Endometriosis Centre is doing to their patients seem terrible. For that they are Really Wrong.Enjoy!https://theesp.eu/podcast_archive/theesp-ep-531.htmlSegments:0:00:27 Intro0:00:52 Greetings0:10:46 TWISH0:19:24 News0:44:55 Really Wrong0:54:55 Quote0:58:32 Outro0:59:54 Outtakes Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

ESC Liverpool 2026 tickets are now available! Get yours now! Chris French wrote a eulogy for Nick Pope, UFO profile who passed away, and in TWISH we hear about Gustave Le Bon who identified the mass psychology of crowds over 150 years ago. Then we head for the news:UK: Humanists UK celebrates 130th anniversaryINTERNATIONAL: Haunted houses explained?INTERNATIONAL: Skeptical Science experiment results and lessons learnedNETHERLANDS / SWEDEN: To meat or not to meat?SWITZERLAND: The endless loop of homeopathy finally broken?Jehovah’s Witnesses’ ‘clarification’ regarding blood transfusions is still harmful and stupid, and for that they get this week’s award for being Really Wrong.Enjoy!https://theesp.eu/podcast_archive/theesp-ep-530.htmlSegments:0:00:27 Intro0:00:52 Greetings0:07:29 TWISH0:15:30 News0:37:54 Really Wrong0:44:35 Quote0:45:39 Outro0:47:02 Outtakes Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Next week on 6th May the tickets are released for ESC Liverpool. They may sell out fast, so be quick! In other news we note the demise of Desmond Morris and if you liked are interview with Kat Ford, a preprint of her Glastonbury article is now available online! In TWISH we learn about the Scottish polymath John Arbuthnot, and then, it’s time for the news:UK: GP struck off register for garlic oil cancer cure claimsROMANIA: Romania leads EU measles cases as vaccination rates collapseAUSTRIA: Doctor using fake therapies and bogus diagnostics now in courtUK: Food intolerance tests have become a multimillion-pound industryBELGIUM: SKEPP handed out their yearly awardsIllegal peptide sales promise you the world, but are unproven, costly, and possibly dangerous. For that, they are Really WrongEnjoy!https://theesp.eu/podcast_archive/theesp-ep-529.htmlSegments:0:00:26 Intro0:00:51 Greetings0:08:10 TWISH0:15:04 News0:37:21 Really Wrong0:41:16 Quote0:42:55 Outro0:44:17 Outtakes Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Lots going on this week! It’s European Immunization Week, Pontus went to a spa and got ‘cupped’, and we have news about two skeptical events: the launch of Skeptival 2026 in Berlin and tickets for the European Skeptics Congress 2026 in Liverpool (ESC 2026) will be released on 6 May!In TWISH we take a look at the misinformation surrounding the Chernobyl disaster that happened 40 years ago this week. And then of course, we have the news:IRELAND: 12-year-old sex abuse victim locked up and punished for four years in a nunneryIRELAND / UK: UK survivor of Irish mother and baby home can’t afford to accept compensationGERMANY: Will homeopathy finally get what it deserves: nothing?SWEDEN: Tough-on-crime sentiments are polarizing SwedesThe Swedish government ignores science and all experts and has decided to push through sending children to prison and for that they are Really Wrong.Enjoy!https://theesp.eu/podcast_archive/theesp-ep-528.htmlSegments:0:00:27 Intro0:00:51 Greetings0:18:13 TWISH0:30:34 News0:47:46 Really Wrong0:50:13 Quote0:51:44 Outro0:53:07 Outtakes Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week we have a great interview with the fabulous Dr Kat Ford!Enjoy!Segments:0:00:34 Intro0:00:58 Greetings0:07:47 Interview0:55:33 Farewell0:57:19 Outro0:58:41 Outtakes Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Pontus is back and Brian steps in for András, as we discuss myths and disinformation. In TWISH we hear about three common myths regarding the sinking of Titanic, and then we get into the news:UK: Non-religion is the new normal: six in ten under-35s have no religion, new analysis findsINTERNATIONAL: ‘Stand with Science’ – World Health Day: People live longer today than ever before, even after cancer: here are the latest WHO data.UK: Eat tapeworm eggs, lose weight: The terrifying Victorian practice whose myth refuses to dieThe Really Wrong Award goes to the Finnish MP and former Minister of the Interior Päivi Räsänen, who was convicted of hate speech against gay people.Enjoy!https://theesp.eu/podcast_archive/theesp-ep-526.htmlSegments:0:00:27 Intro0:00:56 Greetings0:03:15 TWISH0:16:09 News0:38:24 Really Wrong0:44:04 Quote0:47:02 Outro0:48:24 Outtakes Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In Pontus’ absence, András carries the torch this week and tells about Italian electoral abstentions and in TWISH we here about Robert Bunsen, who knew how to burn things with scientific rigor. Then, it’s time for the news:UK: Polls shows public wants religion out of schoolsAUSTRIA / GERMANY: Florian Aigner’s new book out – ‘Die Wirklichkeit ist auch nicht wahr’INTERNATIONAL: Academic Freedom Index on decline worldwideINTERNATIONAL: Wikipedia bans AI-generated contentThe Really Right Award goes to the Ministry of the Interior in Hesse, Germany, for helping its citizens to fight conspiracy theories.Enjoy!https://theesp.eu/podcast_archive/theesp-ep-525.htmlSegments:0:00:27 Intro0:00:51 Greetings0:03:25 TWISH0:07:15 News0:16:48 Really Right0:18:52 Quote0:20:25 Outro0:21:47 Outtakes Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Despite the bleak outlook we see in the news, science and critical thinking is still a thing. In the UK, Sense about Science is recruiting and in Toulouse, France, there is a great festival coming up in April. In TWISH we revisit the legacy of Erik Weisz, aka Harry Houdini, and then we have a look at the news:INTERNATIONAL: Funeral rights for non-believersNETHERLANDS: Senior journalist’s fall over falling for AI hallucinationsEUROPE / USA: Europe actively recruits researchers struggling under Trump / Ig Nobel prizes moving to SwitzerlandGERMANY: Old tricks back on the rise as gas prices soarReform UK and the UK Conservative party are fueling disinformation regarding the general public's view on net zero emissions, and for that they are Really Wrong.Enjoy!https://theesp.eu/podcast_archive/theesp-ep-524.htmlSegments:0:00:27 Intro0:00:52 Greetings0:10:55 TWISH0:20:59 News0:43:58 Really Wrong0:47:18 Quote0:48:40 Outro0:50:02 Outtakes Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

General elections in Hungary are coming up and it’s going to be nasty. We get some listener feedback and we were on an video interview for Skeptical Inquirer. TWISH looks to Tesla’s famous “free energy” patent which was filed 126 years ago, and finds that in doesn’t promise free energy at all (chocker!). Then we look to the news:UK: Survivors of Ireland’s mother and baby homes face benefit cuts in UK after accepting compensationGERMANY: Campaign against fluoride in toothpaste seems to be a marketing strategy rather than citizen initiativeINTERNATIONAL: AIDS denialism on the riseGERMANY: Germanic New Medicine seems dangerously popularWho’s Quacking? this week looks to Norway and finds Anders Haakenstad, a clinical exercise physiologist and health expert who spreads unproven doubts about chemo therapy for cancer and vaccines.Enjoy!https://theesp.eu/podcast_archive/theesp-ep-523.htmlSegments:0:00:27 Intro0:00:51 Greetings0:13:49 TWISH0:25:06 News0:50:10 Who's Quacking?0:55:11 Quote0:56:56 Outro0:58:19 Outtakes Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week we have an interview with author and nuclear advocate Zion Lights.Enjoy!https://theesp.eu/podcast_archive/theesp-ep-522.htmlSegments:0:00:33 Intro0:00:56 Greetings0:07:05 Interview0:47:09 Farewell0:51:34 Outro0:52:57 Outtakes Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Even in a world on fire with yet another big war there are glimmers of light such as the upcoming Festival of Humanism in Bournemouth in June. In TWISH we hear about some of the most common myths about Michelangelo, and then we take a look at the news:EU: Vaccine update: EMA recommends approval of Moderna’s combined flu/covid vaccine and more good news regarding HPV vaccinationGERMANY: Fake vaccinations currently under investigationUK / WALES: Follow-up: Assisted dying in the UK and WalesINTERNATIONAL: Lessons from the latest Freedom of Thought ReportThe Really Wrong Award goes to unnecessary supplements for middle-aged men (they don’t do much for other people either…)Enjoy!https://theesp.eu/podcast_archive/theesp-ep-521.htmlSegments:0:00:27 Intro0:00:50 Greetings0:05:51 TWISH0:19:51 News0:45:46 Really Wrong0:50:03 Who's Quacking?0:53:44 Quote0:55:11 Outro0:56:34 Outtakes Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In a very special skeptical Canadian extravaganza, we are joined by the fabulous Adrienne Hill as guest host for the show. A very special treat! In TWISH we look into the fourth anniversary of Putins’ invasion of Ukraine, and how disinformation has been used as weapon in the war. Then, we dig into the news:UK: Racial Slurs shouted at the Bafta Awards by a guest who has Tourette SyndromeNORTHERN IRELEND: Getting closer to repeal blasphemy lawHUNGARY: Pediatrician in custody after faking vaccination certificatesITALY: Crotchgate at the Olympics. Can injecting Hyaluronic Acid into genitals help ski jumpers’ distance?NETHERLANDS / SWEDEN: Dutch seller of bogus medicine uses AI deep fakes and Swedish bank for legitimacyINTERNATIONAL: Safe spaces or innovation killers? Macron’s AI showdown in DelhiThe Really Wrong Award goes to circumcision for non-medical reasons on children who cannot consent, after a baby dies of sepsis for no good reason.Enjoy!https://theesp.eu/podcast_archive/theesp-ep-520.htmlSegments:0:00:27 Intro0:00:53 Greetings0:12:20 TWISH0:22:56 News1:08:41 Really Wrong1:14:57 Quote1:16:05 Outro1:17:27 Outtakes Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Just like his uncle, even the Prince of Wales (William, that is!) cannot entirely stay out of the Epstein-files, as his charity gets tangled up in it. In TWISH we take a look at famed Giordano Bruno to see if he was truly a skeptic or more of a trouble make (admittedly, you can be both). Then we have the news:UK: More than 60 children infected in north London measles outbreakAUSTRIA: Group of scientists on how difficult it is to try to uphold scientific standardsINTERNATIONAL: Climate change confusion?INTERNATIONAL: Study finds deepfake to be alarmingly prevalentOn the same topic as two weeks ago, the Really Wrong Award goes to the UK education system for their very questionable religious education syllabus, while the Humanists UK get the Really Right Award for fighting back.Enjoy!https://theesp.eu/podcast_archive/theesp-ep-519.htmlSegments:0:00:27 Intro0:00:52 Greetings0:09:46 TWISH0:19:07 News0:41:30 Really Wrong / Really Right0:45:54 Quote0:47:43 Outro0:49:06 Outtakes Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We start by wishing for fast trains and maglev transportation in Europe – much better for the environment than air travel. Because even if we have had a rather cold January here in Europe, Copernicus tells us that we are still warming the globe in a reckless pace. In TWISH we remember István Vágó on what would have been his 77th birthday. Vágó was the first president of the Hungarian Skeptics and also a TV personality specializing in quiz shows and a famous promoter of the virtue of facts. Then, we turn to the news:UK: Only 4 of 66 ‘statin side effects’ are actually from the drug itselfHUNGARY: Meta fails to filter political ads, Tisza fails to use statistics correctlySWEDEN: Exorcism in SwedenUK: Young people fearful of false claims and AI misleading votersSWEDEN: Murder of Olof Palme: Attorney General has some explaining to doRussia is now so short of labor and soldiers due to their invasion of Ukraine that they use any means to lure foreigners to sign up as cannon fodder. For that, and for ruining not just Ukraine but also Russia itself, Vladimir Putin (again) gets the Award for being Really Wrong.Enjoy!https://theesp.eu/podcast_archive/theesp-ep-518.htmlSegments:0:00:27 Intro0:00:51 Greetings0:07:46 TWISH0:18:34 News0:52:11 Really Wrong0:54:53 Quote0:57:05 Outro0:58:27 Outtakes Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is an oddly positive episode with a lot of good news, who could foresee that? But do us a favor and help Skeptical Science with your translation skills (link in the show notes)! In TWISH we dig into the cannibalism that is Christianity with a look into the legend of St Agatha.Then, it’s time for the news:SWEDEN: Gaming addiction risk greatly exaggeratedEUROPE: Council of Europe calls for ban on conversion therapiesUK: Gen Z churchgoing is actually still decliningPOLAND: MMS use strongly discouraged by scientist based on latest researchSWEDEN: COVID-19 vaccination carries no association with childbirth rates in SwedenINTERNATIONAL: AI safety report indicates we’re not doing enoughJaved Love is a teacher in Northern Ireland who is exercising his right not to spread religious beliefs in the classroom. For that he is Really Right!Enjoy!https://theesp.eu/podcast_archive/theesp-ep-517.htmlSegments:0:00:27 Intro0:00:51 Greetings0:06:22 TWISH0:17:40 News0:54:17 Really Right0:57:32 Quote0:59:21 Outro1:00:44 Outtakes Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Canada’s Mark Carney could possibly be a role model for our European leaders, and the Swedish Bar Association agrees with our criticism of putting children in prison. In TWISH we hear of Emanuel Swedenborg, a great polymath of the Enlightenment who somehow turned into a religious mystic. Then it’s time for the news:RUSSIA: The Ukraine war has given rise to an ‘exorcism economy’ in RussiaUK: The current status and concerns of the proposed ban on social media for under 16sSPAIN / SWEDEN: More immigrants, please!Spain to regularise 500,000 undocumented migrantsSwedish Communes say they want more immigrants – for the community and added workforceINTERNATIONAL: So, where do we actually stand on microplastics?UK: Bigfoot has crossed the pondThe Really Wrong Award goes to the UK House of Lords, where a few unelected persons are somehow allowed to filibuster the Assisted Dying Bill.Enjoy!https://theesp.eu/podcast_archive/theesp-ep-516.htmlSegments:0:00:27 Intro0:00:53 Greetings0:10:45 TWISH0:28:07 News1:00:57 Really Wrong1:05:35 Word of the Week1:06:54 Quote1:08:18 Outro1:09:40 Outtakes Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

English may not be our first language but we are willing to learn! Hungarian nuts with a nationalist agenda would like you to believe in made up history, including that Jesus spoke Hungarian, and other nonsense. And they are getting a foot in at schools… In TWISH we hear about Joseph Justus Scaliger who took on historical chronology in a revolutionary way back in the 16th century. Then, it’s time for the news:SWEDEN: Religious teacher used exorcism against special needs studentsUK: Fake AI doctors endorse weight loss patches on social mediaGERMANY: Changes in German beliefs in pseudoscienceTÜRKIYE: Technobabble papers by professor and editor under scrutinyThe Faculty of Law in Lund gets a Really Right Award for speaking up against an unscientific and fact resistant new legal reform.Enjoy!https://theesp.eu/podcast_archive/theesp-ep-515.htmlSegments:0:00:27 Intro0:00:51 Greetings0:08:58 TWISH0:21:47 News0:46:48 Really Right0:53:02 Quote0:54:20 Outro0:55:42 Outtakes Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

2025 was the third hottest year on record, but that hardly even makes the news. In TWISH we hear about the science communicator Jacob Bronowski, and then it’s time for the news:VATICAN / RUSSIA / USA: The Vatican offered Maduro safe way to RussiaSWITZERLAND: Erich von Däniken dead at 90AI: Followup from last week: Google removes some AI overviewsEU: Authorities do not even open international alerts about medical misconductSWEDEN: Linda Karlström, Confounderer of the year 2020, loses court appealSWEDEN: Enlightener and Confounderer of the year 2025UK: Vaccination schedule changed for the betterThe Really Wrong Award goes to WHO for continuously promoting the idea that traditional “medicine” should be integrated in modern health care.Enjoy!https://theesp.eu/podcast_archive/theesp-ep-514.htmlSegments:0:00:27 Intro0:00:50 Greetings0:02:43 TWISH0:11:11 News0:44:30 Really Wrong0:49:49 Quote0:50:58 Outro0:52:20 Outtakes Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We have to rant about Trump and Venezuela for a bit, but to take our minds off that, we turn to TWISH and hear about the discovery of the Galilean moons, found by (who could have guessed?) Galileo.Then it’s time for the news:UK: Google AI Overviews put people at risk of harm with misleading health adviceHUNGARY: University of Pécs course on gene therapies lists mRNA COVID vaccines as such – that’s wrong!UK: Hot-reading Psychic Medium DeanSusanne Bügel of Copenhagen University gets the Award for being Really Right for her work to inform the public about the issues with multi-vitamin pills. Then we get two different Words of the Week – Besserwisser and Lagom.Enjoy!https://theesp.eu/podcast_archive/theesp-ep-513.htmlSegments:0:00:27 Intro0:00:49 Greetings0:10:19 TWISH0:23:14 News0:39:14 Really Right0:44:38 Word of the Week0:47:08 Quote0:48:44 Outro0:50:06 Outtakes Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome to the new year! Obviously we start with some reflections on 2025 and we also give a shout-out to Haley Stevens and her article about Wikipedia in the Skeptic UK. In TWISH we learn that the practice of New Year’s resolutions is ancient although each resolution seldom lasts longer than a week or two. Then we look into the news for this week:INTERNATIONAL: Five lessons from fact checking in 2025ITALY: Lega only party refusing to agree not to use deepfake to attack political opponentsSWEDEN: Fact check: How Sweden uses imported trash to produce electricity and heat homesINTERNATIONAL: Review of Autism Therapies finds they don’t hold upUK: Robin Ince quits The Infinite Monkey CageUK: Use of AI for emotional support alarmingly widespreadThe EU Chat Control 2.0 regulation is meant to prevent the spread of child abuse material but gets the Really Wrong Award for being ineffective and because it would have very serious effects on integrity. It’s a well meaning by bad idea.Enjoy!https://theesp.eu/podcast_archive/theesp-ep-512.htmlSegments:0:00:27 Intro0:00:51 Greetings0:22:32 TWISH0:27:56 News0:59:16 Really Wrong1:02:39 Quote1:05:02 Outro1:06:25 Outtakes Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Merry Christmas everyone! This is an episode unlike any other in the ESP history, hope you will enjoy it!See you again in 2026!Segments:0:00:27 INTRO0:00:50 GREETINGS0:05:11 FACT CHECKERS0:08:39 REASON TELLS0:12:11 FAREWELL0:14:11 OUTRO Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this week’s TWISH we take a look at the most skeptical saint, Doubting Thomas – not that we feel that he got everything right. In the news today we take a look at the following:INTERNATIONAL / SWEDEN: Rising nicotine addiction in teensHUNGARY: GP about to leave practice due to harassment from antivaxxersSWEDEN: Breast cancer patients turn away from conventional treatment despite 93% survival ratesINTERNATIONAL: Liam Neeson narrates anti-vaccination pseudo-documentaryA bunch of contrarians that call themselves BMTIG insists that there must be a conspiracy behind the sinking of the MS Estonia – no matter how much the facts say otherwise and for that they ar Really Wrong.Enjoy!https://theesp.eu/podcast_archive/theesp-ep-510.htmlSegments:0:00:27 Intro0:00:51 Greetings0:05:33 TWISH0:17:29 News0:52:12 Really Wrong1:07:40 Quote1:09:17 Outro1:10:40 Outtakes Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Rage bait is the Oxford Word of the Year and that cannot be a a good sign of the times we live in. In TWISH we acknowledge the genius of Ada Lovelace while recognizing that she had some flaws as well, especially when it came to phrenology and mesmerism… Then we take a look at the news:EU: Proposal to allow plants modified using CRISPRHUNGARY: Government campaigns against opposition party with fake election programINTERNATIONAL: Influencers promote bogus health adviceUK: Persuasion through chatbots leads to inaccurate assessmentsThis week’s Really Right Award goes to researcher Rebecca Sear for her commitment in tracking down all studies based on the infamous National IQ database.Enjoy!https://theesp.eu/podcast_archive/theesp-ep-509.htmlSegments:0:00:27 Intro0:00:52 Greetings0:11:45 TWISH0:24:03 News0:53:12 Really Right0:59:37 Quote1:01:56 Outro1:03:18 Outtakes Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We discuss science communication by the ECDC re vaccinations and have some listener feedback about Dr Who, before with dive into TWISH which this week is about a pioneer of modern chemistry, Martin Heinrich Klaproth. Then of course, there’s the news:INTERNATIONAL: E-trade via dropshipping – the scam has many levelsUK: ChatGPT’s dangerous mental health guidance raises skeptical red flagsSWEDEN: So-called ‘virginity checks’ now finally illegalTÜRKIYE: Case study shows risks with chiropracticThe Green alliance in Germany reverses their stance on homeopathy thanks to the work by Cedrik Schamberger and for that, he deserves the Really Right Award. Well done!Enjoy!Segments: Intro; Greetings; TWISH; News; Really Right; Quote; Outro; Outtakeshttps://theesp.eu/podcast_archive/theesp-ep-508.html Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We start by noting that COP30 was pretty disappointing although we are not too surprised. On another, more positive side, Michael Frass‘ terrible study claiming that homeopathy can help in cancer treatment finally has been retracted! Also, get your flu vaccines, everyone.In TWISH we hear how António Egas Moniz invented lobotomy and was awarded one of the most controversial Nobel prizes for it, but also why it cannot be retracted. Then, we go to the news:SWEDEN: People die of breast cancer after choosing alternative treatmentsEUROPE: Eurobarometer Survey 2025: science, skepticism, and the battle against misinformationINTERNATIONAL: Freebirthing is a deadly scam and a griftHUNGARY: Political ads on Google and Facebook are over – or are they?The Really Wrong Award goes to Steiner schools, that thankfully are in decline. A Really Right Award goes to the EU Court of Justice for affirming that also same-sex marriages have to be recognized throughout the union.Enjoy!Segments:0:00:27 Intro0:00:51 Greetings0:12:40 TWISH0:22:27 News0:59:46 Really Wrong / Really Right1:03:33 Quote1:05:06 Outro1:06:28 Outtakes Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week celebrates the launch of Dr Who way back in 1963, the longest running TV-show in history, and a special favourite for many skeptics. For the news we look into the following:INTERNATIONAL: Updated evidence for Covid-19, RSV, and influenza vaccinesHUNGARY: Parliament votes to issue general ban on artificial meat productsRUSSIA / UKRAINE: Every fifth Russian believes the sun revolves around the earthNETHERLANDS: Vaccine skepticism linked to trust in institutions and susceptibility to misinformationWe hand out a Really Right Award to the Swedish Government for removing state support for Jehovah’s Witnesses and in Who’s Quacking? we examine the pseudoscience of Spanish neuroscientist Álex Gómez Marín.Enjoy!https://theesp.eu/podcast_archive/theesp-ep-506.htmlSegments:0:00:27 Intro0:00:51 Greetings0:07:11 TWISH0:22:28 News0:44:01 Really Right0:47:55 Who's Quacking?0:55:37 Quote0:57:05 Outro0:58:28 Outtakes Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

James Watson died, and brilliant as his contribution to science was, he also had some very problematic views on race and women. The Church of Scientology seems to be in decline even if they try their best to deny it, claiming huge (but questionable) numbers on their recent big conference. We are happily surprised to see a very nice article about ourselves in the Skeptical Inquirer (thanks Susan!) and in TWISH we hear about the founding of the Pasteur Institute and what an impact it has had on science. Then, let’s look at the news:UK: TikTok trend makes men seek unnecessary testosterone treatmentsUK: The BBC crisisINTERNATIONAL: Paracetamol revisited – still not linked to autismFRANCE: Climate disinformation goes mainstreamINTERNATIONAL: Trolls and narcissismWatch out for ‘Black Fraud Day’ whose many scammers get this week’s prize for being Really Wrong.https://theesp.eu/podcast_archive/theesp-ep-505.htmlEnjoy!Segments:0:00:27 Intro0:00:52 Greetings0:15:16 TWISH0:23:11 News0:52:10 Really Wrong0:57:37 Quote1:01:11 Outro1:02:33 Outtakes Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We’re back home after QED and boy was it great! Last one, we know, but next year will see the European Skeptics Congress in Liverpool and it will largely be following the template of QED. Save the dates, 16-18 October 2026!We note the lessons learned from hurricane Melissa and in TWISH we hear about two milestones of European history, the ECDC and the European Convention om Human Rights. Then, we catch up on the news:UK: The Ockham awards for 2025AUSTRIA: The Golden Board for 2025SWEDEN: Populistic repatriation support meets local pushbackITALY: Senate hosts presentation of bogus deviceGERMANY: Student at the Free University of Berlin develops useful tool for spotting fake referencesHUNGARY: Over a hundred political ads financed by Orbán’s Digital Citizen Circles slip through Facebooks filtersIn Finland the nonsense of DISC personality tests are inexplicably popular and the company MLP gets the Really Wrong Award for promoting it, while philosopher of science Inkeri Koskinen gets the Really Right Award for speaking up about it.Enjoy!https://theesp.eu/podcast_archive/theesp-ep-504.htmlSegments:0:00:27 Intro0:00:51 Greetings0:15:12 TWISH0:24:02 News0:56:51 Really Wrong / Really Right1:01:48 Quote1:03:20 Outro1:04:43 Outtakes Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Note! You can find the video of this live recording here on our Youtube channel! (special thanks to the fantastic SitPO team for the video!)We were live from QED! Best time ever! Joining us for the recording were the fabulous Claire Klingenberg, Deborah Hyde and Brian Eggo, as well as huge crowd of happy QED attendees. We had a TWISH about phrenology and also a line of positive(!) news:INTERNATIONAL: UN demands asylum protection for the non religiousSWEDEN: The Great Pill-ScandalUK: ULEZ is improving people’s healthCZECHIA: Beaver engineered dam saves lots of money for governmentSpecial thanks to friend of the show Rob McDermott for the great photos!Enjoy!Show notes: https://theesp.eu/podcast_archive/theesp-ep-503.htmlSegments:0:00:50 Intro0:01:43 Greetings0:05:44 TWISH0:18:21 News0:47:17 Quote0:49:29 Outro Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Warming up for QED, we dive directly in to TWISH and talk about – QED(!) and how this weekend will be an historic event as the last one of them all. We’re going to make the most of it!But before we pack our bags, we have some news to talk about:UK: The Conversation seems to endorse spiritual psychic meetingsAUSTRIA: Finalists of the Golden Board in Front of the Head announcedCZECHIA: Another European country goes populistEUROPE: Plug-in hybrids seems to be much worse polluters than previously thoughtNot all influencers are bad, so this week’s Really Right Award goes to the Instagram account Kvinnokliniken that keeps fighting for good and science-based information regarding women’s health issues.Enjoy!https://theesp.eu/podcast_archive/theesp-ep-502.htmlSegments:0:00:27 Intro0:00:51 Greetings0:04:03 TWISH0:14:38 News0:36:53 Really Right0:41:37 Quote0:43:42 Outro0:45:05 Outtakes Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

To begin with with remember Jane Goodall and we mark that the Dutch Master Kackadoris Award has been awarded to the VU University of Amsterdam – serves them right! In TWISH we hear about the adoption of the Gregorian calendar in 1582 (in some places much later!) and then, we dig into the news:INTERNATIONAL: Shingles vaccination associated with lower risk of dementiaVATICAN: Pope Leo stands up for science and humanityGERMANY / DENMARK / SWEDEN / EU: Drones, drones, dronesUK: Nigel F Farage spreads nonsense as hardcore as his American counterpartUK: Cut your energy bills by a third with a gadget?INTERNATIONAL: Here’s the Snopes app!The Really Wrong Award goes to Meta and the EU for their inability to handle political ads.Enjoy!https://theesp.eu/podcast_archive/theesp-ep-501.htmlSegments:0:00:26 Intro0:00:53 Greetings0:11:23 TWISH0:20:12 News0:48:39 Really Wrong0:53:26 Quote0:54:31 Outro0:55:53 Outtakes Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It’s official boys and girls, we made it to Episode 500!We celebrated this with a live recording and joining us from all over the world were a whole bunch of the best skeptics you can imagine: Michael Marshall, Chris French, Claire Klingenberg, Susan Gerbic, Deborah Hyde, Adrienne Hill and Richard Saunders. Good friends all! Annika Harrison and Brian Eggo unfortunately couldn’t make it, but went out of their way to record their greetings in advance. What a wonderful time!Enjoy!PS. The edited recording is available on our YouTube channel!Show notes: https://theesp.eu/podcast_archive/theesp-ep-500.htmlSegments:0:00:29 INTRO0:03:02 GUESTS0:03:02: Michael Marshall0:16:55: Chris French0:33:02: Claire Klingenberg0:48:26: Susan Gerbic1:02:29: Deborah Hyde1:19:11: Adrienne Hill1:34:37: Richard Saunders1:58:10: Annika Harrison2:04:02: Brian Eggo2:15:12 OUTRO Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Next week we’ll livestream our 500th episode (but stick around for this one first!), and also we remind all non-UK QED participants to get their ETAs before they go to Manchester later this month. In TWISH we learn about Alice Stewart and her work for awareness of the risks with radiation. Then we go to the news:INTERNATIONAL: No longer any question: alcohol is bad for your bodyEU: EU transition to electromobility is better than many make it out to beMOLDOVA / RUSSIA: Moldova election results subject to Russian disinformationGERMANY: New podcast of GWUP launchedDENMARK: Drones over Denmark – what are they?Dick Erixon of the Sweden Democrats wants to investigate George Soros only because that’s what daddy Trump wants, and for that he is Really Wrong.Enjoy!https://theesp.eu/podcast_archive/theesp-ep-499.htmlSegments:0:00:27 Intro0:00:50 Greetings0:06:41 TWISH0:16:16 News0:45:26 Really Wrong0:50:45 Quote0:52:20 Outro0:53:43 Outtakes Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Swedish glaciers are disappearing and in TWISH we hear about the triumph for science when discovering Neptune. After that, it’s the news:INTERNATIONAL: This year’s Ig Nobel prizesFRANCE: Macrons finally push back on rumors regarding first lady’s genderUK / INTERNATIONAL: Does solving puzzles prevent dementia?EU: Meta and Google to block political ads under new regulationsRFK jr. (or little Bobby) claims that he has a ‘cure for autism’ and that’s such a face plant that he get’s a new Really Wrong Award, just two weeks after his previous.Enjoy!https://theesp.eu/podcast_archive/theesp-ep-498.htmlSegments:0:00:27 Intro0:00:51 Greetings0:05:56 TWISH0:14:42 News0:46:07 Really Wrong0:50:15 Quote0:51:19 Outro0:52:41 Outtakes Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Make sure to check out András' Skeptics in the Pub Online talk next week on 25 September! In TWISH we meet Ötzi the Ice Man, and a mystery death from 5300 years ago and a invaluable source of archeological science. Then we look to the news:ALBANIA: Albania appoints AI-created ‘minister’ITALY: Arson attack in Sardinia linked to climate misinformationSWEDEN: Princess Madeleine launches her brand of Weleda based cosmeticsAUSTRIA: Nominations now open for the Golden Board 2025SWITZERLAND: Switzerland didn’t ban mammogramsViktor Orbán has done it again, and gets his sixth(!) Really Wrong Award, this time for doubling down on crime information.Enjoy!https://theesp.eu/podcast_archive/theesp-ep-497.htmlSegments:0:00:27 Intro0:00:52 Greetings0:07:29 TWISH0:21:06 News0:51:22 Really Wrong0:56:33 Quote0:57:55 Outro0:59:18 Outtakes Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In the Netherlands, trust in science is increasing which is unexpected good news. We have some thoughts on the election results in Norway, plus you can now hear us on YouTube! In TWISH we hear about a close encounter in France and then it’s time for the news:INTERNATIONAL: Microdosing on weight loss drugs neither proven safe nor effectiveGERMANY: Mysterious deaths among AfD candidates prior to election?ITALY: Bad news for the Shroud of TurinUKRAINE: Europe’s largest paper mill identified?RFK jr. may be American but the dangerous nonsense that “His Wrongness” is spreading reach us world wide. This time he has decided that paracetamol (aka Tylenol) is causing autism and for that he is Really Wrong.Enjoy!https://theesp.eu/podcast_archive/theesp-ep-496.htmlSegments:0:00:27 Intro0:00:50 Greetings0:09:15 TWISH0:19:05 News0:38:42 Really Wrong0:42:58 Quote0:44:01 Outro0:45:24 Outtakes Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

After some listener feedback regarding green energy and Pontus reporting back from Lithuania, we go to TWISH where we hear about Wilhelm Ostwald, one of the fathers of physical chemistry. Then, we get to the news:UK: MHRA is cracking down on unlicensed anti-wrinkle products after spate of botulismIRELAND: Equal Memory Fallibility in ‘He Said, She Said’ CasesGERMANY: INH urges new government to ban homeopathyUK: Farage argues for withdrawal from Human Rights ConventionPrime Minister Pedro Sánchez of Spain is planning to tackle climate change straight on, and for that he is Really Right.Enjoy!https://theesp.eu/podcast_archive/theesp-ep-495.htmlSegments:0:00:27 Intro0:00:49 Greetings0:12:47 TWISH0:22:42 News0:46:48 Really Right0:50:09 Quote0:52:17 Outro0:53:39 Outtakes Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We’re already looking forward to QED and nominations for the Ockham Awards are still open – if you know someone who deserves it nominate them! After some listener feedback we go to TWISH and hear about the Swing Riots. Then, it’s time for the news:EUROPE: Spread of mosquitoes in EuropeUK / EUROPE: Country on a bumpy road of climate U-turns…SWEDEN / INTERNATIONAL: Crying nurse goes viral and get tons of support – she doesn’t existINTERNATIONAL: Duolingo calls JK Rowling mean, then backs down and apologisesThe UK government has still not acknowledged their part in the tragedy of forced abortions from British ‘Mother and Baby homes’, and for that the get this week’s Award for being Really Wrong.Enjoy!https://theesp.eu/podcast_archive/theesp-ep-494.htmlSegments:0:00:27 Intro0:00:51 Greetings0:09:23 TWISH0:19:07 News0:50:48 Really Wrong0:55:03 Quote0:56:42 Outro0:58:04 Outtakes Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In TWISH this week we look into the achievements of James Watt who made a whole lot of things, despite not inventing the steam engine. Then of course, there’s the news:ITALY: Government reverses appointment of vaccine hesitant members to National Immunisation Technical Advisory GroupITALY: The Natural Trap: How Conspiracy Beliefs Shape Our Health ChoicesSWEDEN: Renewed warning – Insulin instead of Ozempic in online ordersSWEDEN: Swedish PM Ulf Kristersson under fire for using AI in roleEUROPE: Hot summer: Deaths, fires and evacuationsThe Center for Trial and Error gets this week’s Really Right Award for encouraging the publishing of negative studies.Enjoy!https://theesp.eu/podcast_archive/theesp-ep-493.htmlSegments:0:00:27 Intro0:00:51 Greetings0:04:39 TWISH0:13:26 News0:41:18 Really Right0:45:11 Quote0:47:12 Outro0:48:35 Outtakes Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ever realized that there are three types of conspiracy theorists and a clear link between them and terrorism? Catch the new book by Steen Svanholm and Claus Larsen and hear them talk about their findings in this week’s interview!Enjoy!https://theesp.eu/podcast_archive/theesp-ep-492.htmlSegments:0:00:27 Intro0:00:49 Greetings0:02:56 Interview0:52:40 Farewell0:54:02 Outro0:55:25 Outtakes Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We’ve got some listener feedback about the popularity of lie detectors in Ukraine, and in TWISH we hear about the man behind the number, Amedeo Avogadro. Of course, we then get into this week’s news:NORWAY: Russian disinformation regarding made up ecological catastropheRUSSIA / EU: Putin’s disinformation efforts are changing for the worseGLOBAL: COVID Vaccines saved 2.5 Million lives in the first 4 years of the pandemicUK: Has the government learned the lessons from the Southport riots?UK: Funding to promote anti-LGBT conversion practices surgesINTERNATIONAL: Happy 15th anniversary, Retraction Watch!The Really Wrong award goes to the Swedish fundamentalist evangelical Genesis organisation and the Really Right award to Prof. Dan Larhammar for his excellent take down of creationist nonsense.Enjoy!https://theesp.eu/podcast_archive/theesp-ep-491.htmlSegments:0:00:27 Intro0:00:50 Greetings0:08:06 TWISH0:24:29 News0:53:34 Really Wrong / Really Right0:59:19 Quote1:01:16 Outro1:02:39 Outtakes Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Congratulations to friend of the show Deborah Hyde who has been appointed patron of Humanists UK! In TWISH we hear about to unsolved mystery of the disappearance of Antoine de Saint-Exupéry and after that, we dig into the news:IRELAND: Excavation of mass grave of infants in Irish “mother and baby home”INTERNATIONAL: YouTube and Meta seem to finally crack down on political disinformationUKRAINE: Zelensky’s new law mandates regular lie detector testsSCOTLAND: Trump caught on tape cheating in golf?DENMARK / INTERNATIONAL: No link between aluminum in vaccines and chronic diseaseUK / INTERNATIONAL: Nominations for the Ockham Awards are now open!Nigel Farage, leader of Reform UK and general spreader of disinformation, is demonstrably lying about the crime situation in the UK, and for that he gets this week’s award for being Really Wrong.Enjoy!https://theesp.eu/podcast_archive/theesp-ep-490.htmlSegments:0:00:27 Intro0:00:51 Greetings0:14:50 TWISH0:29:34 News1:01:11 Really Wrong1:07:30 Quote1:09:17 Outro1:10:39 Outtakes Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It’s the episode nobody could expect! Least of all András, who in Pontus’ continued absence gets put on the spot by the hot Scot known as Eggman. Can you match the skills of the Magyar Man? Tune in and find out.Enjoy!Segments: 0:00:27 Intro0:00:57 Greetings0:03:18 Quiz0:05:32 round 10:20:58 round 20:40:40 round 30:54:02 Farewell0:56:11 Outro0:57:34 Outtakes Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As Pontus is off on som some mysterious quest or whatnot, Brian Eggo (Eggman) sneaks back into the driver's seat of the show. In TWISH we hear about the myths surrounding the death of the last tsar of Russia and his family back in 1918. Then we take a look at the news:UK: Child dies at Alder Hey after contracting measlesINTERNATIONAL: Humanists pass global declaration on AI and human valuesINTERNATIONAL: Grok & TrollSWEDEN: New UFO-movie outWales Online is this week’s receiver av the Really Wrong Award after publishing an article about cancer “cures” with no regard for science.Enjoy!https://theesp.eu/podcast_archive/theesp-ep-488.htmlSegments:0:00:25 Intro0:00:56 Greetings0:06:16 TWISH0:18:56 News0:51:52 Really Wrong1:04:26 Quote1:07:43 Outro1:09:05 Outtakes Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The heat wave in Europe is back, and in TWISH we learn about the Russell-Einstein Manifesto which was published 70 years ago this week, and we wonder why we haven’t come any further than we have. Then, it’s time for the news:SWEDEN: Scammers using fake AI videos of politicians and scientistsDENMARK / INTERNATIONAL: Are ADHD diagnoses misleading millions?INTERNATIONAL: Several problems with viral paper on black plastic kitchen utensilsNORWAY / EUROPE: How misinformation affects efficiency of energy transitionINTERNATIONAL: Does AI make people stupid? It’s complicatedHUNGARY: University disciplines three psychologists for claiming love is more important for children than the gender of their parentsIs it wise to filter your blood to get rid of microplastics? The Clarify Clinic in London does not wait for the science to find out, but instead turn it into an expensive product. Naturally, they receive this weeks award for being Really Wrong.Enjoy!https://theesp.eu/podcast_archive/theesp-ep-487.htmlSegments:0:00:27 Intro0:00:52 Greetings0:05:00 TWISH0:12:28 News0:45:09 Really Wrong0:50:10 Quote0:51:11 Outro0:52:33 Outtakes Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Viktor Orbán got his behind handed to him when trying to ban Budapest Pride and that makes us very happy! In TWISH we learn about Attila Pataky who can not only sing but has also repeatedly been abducted by aliens – maybe they just like his music? Then, it’s time for the news:EUROPE: Current heat wave in Europe set to ‘kill 4500 people in the next three days’SLOVAKIA: Government official and antivaxxer Peter Kotlár’s paper condemned by Slovakian Academy of SciencesDENMARK: Denmark to tackle deepfakes by giving people copyright to their own featuresUK: Weight-loss jabs potentially harmful?FRANCE: ‘A supermarket for sexual predators’: abuse scandal at French Catholic boarding schoolUS / EUROPE: Are people being denied entry to US for contents critical towards Trump administration?For Who’s Quacking? this week we have UK spreader of deadly nonsens, Kate Shemirani.Enjoy!https://theesp.eu/podcast_archive/theesp-ep-486.htmlSegments:0:00:27 Intro0:00:51 Greetings0:07:15 TWISH0:14:56 News0:46:27 Who's Quacking?0:51:39 Quote0:53:18 Outro0:54:41 Outtakes Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Is the virus metaphor for spreading misinformation really as good as we have been led to think? Some psychologists disagree. We again ask everyone to show support their support for the Naked Scientists podcast and then in TWISH we hear about George Orwell whose dark visions of society seems ever relevant. Then, we go to the news:ENGLAND / WALES: Assisted dying set to become law in England and Wales after MPs pass billISRAEL / IRAN: Disinformation to look out forINTERNATIONAL: Climate misinformation turning crisis into catastrophe, report saysSWITZERLAND: Government tries to hide expert report on the carbon footprint of electric vehiclesAUSTRALIA / EUROPE / USA: Australian SCAM promoter Barbara O’Neill is planning a European tourStatins is the subject for both the Really Wrong and Really Right Awards this week. One goes to Aseem Malhotra and the other to Full Fact. Can you guess who gets which?Enjoy!https://theesp.eu/podcast_archive/theesp-ep-485.htmlSegments:0:00:27 Intro0:00:51 Greetings0:09:52 TWISH0:17:12 News0:41:10 Really Wrong / Really Right0:45:01 Quote0:46:14 Outro0:47:36 Outtakes Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

URGENT! The great podcast the Naked Scientists is in great danger of being cancelled by Cambridge University and we urge everyone to protest this! Information about how to do that is here: https://www.thenakedscientists.com/sos. In other news Pontus will be in Lithuania 29-30 August to participate in the Būtent festival. If you happen to be there too, let us know! In TWISH we hear about a mysterious moon observation from 1178, and then it’s time for the news:SWEDEN / FINLAND / NORWAY: ‘Life’ files for bankruptcyINTERNATIONAL: New toolkit makes post-publication peer-review available for everyoneUSA / SWEDEN: RFK jr. appoints Swedish vaccine advisorUK: Levels of cheating using AI in academic programs on the riseInstead of a Really Wrong Award this week we have a Who’s Quacking? segment about Swedish ‘psychic’, Benny Rosenqvist.Enjoy!https://theesp.eu/podcast_archive/theesp-ep-484.htmlSegments:0:00:27 Intro0:00:53 Greetings0:12:16 TWISH0:21:23 News0:43:29 Who's Quacking?0:50:35 Quote0:52:19 Outro0:53:42 Outtakes Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.